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Engineering

Floodplain Information

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​​​​​​​​​Am i in a floodplain?

​To see if your home or business is located in a floodplain visit: ​​​​​fema.gov​.

floodplain information

Coppell has four major tributaries flowing through or adjacent to the City. These tributaries are Denton Creek, Grapevine Creek, Cottonwood Creek and the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Also, there are numerous small tributaries meandering through neighborhoods and eventually joining with the major tributaries. Flooding can occur when the runoff caused by precipitation is too great to be confined in normal water channels. Rising water can destroy any structure or object in the floodplain. Before any development or improvements will be allowed in a floodplain, a floodplain development permit must be obtained from the Engineering Department. As part of the floodplain permit, additional information may be required. Such as a flood study to determine if the improvements will be allowed.

The only way to insure your property from rising water is to purchase a flood insurance policy separate from your homeowners insurance. The City keeps a copy of floodplain literature and maps for viewing at the Library, or you can stop by the City's Engineering Department located at 265 Parkway Boulevard. The Engineering Department can also provide suggestions on how you can protect your property from flooding.

It is important to note that a normal homeowners insurance policy does not provide coverage for dama​ge to property resulting from rising water or flooding. A separate flood insurance policy is necessary to be protected. Even if your property is not within the 100-year floodplain, it is still a wise choice to purchase a flood insurance policy because, on average, 40% of all claims paid on flood insurance policies are for properties outside of the 100-year floodplain. Also, if you are considering purchasing a flood insurance policy, it should be done before you would expect to need it, as there is a 30-day waiting period after the purchase before the policy becomes effective. Resid​ents now qualify to receive a 5-10% reduction in flood insurance premiums due to a Class 8 rating (see details below). For information about obtaining Flood Insurance visit: ​​​floodsm​art.gov.

COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM

Communities in the National Flood Insurance Program can also participate in the Community Rating System. The Community Rating System (CRS) allows communities to perform additional activities which provide for a greater level of flood protection. Communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program are rated as a Class 1 – Class 10. The class ranking of a community equates to a reduction in flood insurance rates. A Class 1 community receives a 45% reduction on flood insurance on properties within the floodplain and a Class 10 receives a 0% reduction.

When the Community Rating System was established it had three goals: 1) to reduce flood losses, 2) to facilitate accurate insurance rating, and 3) to promote the awareness of flood insurance. Over the last 10 years, the City of Coppell has increasingly performed tasks to generate additional rating points. Significant areas in which we have increased our efforts include our mapping capabilities and the national accreditation of our Director of Engineering as a Certified Floodplain Manager. Approximately every 5 years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency provides a CRS field verification of the activities the City performs to insure that it continues to provide a high level of protection for properties from flooding or damage from flooding.​ For information pertaining to the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System visit: fema.gov​.